HBCU Gameday will premiere two new episodes of “Brick x Brick with JCSU Football” on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. ET. The show will roll out back-to-back YouTube premieres with same-night streaming on HBCUGameday.com and the HBCU Gameday app.
Created and directed by Wali Pitt, “Brick x Brick” is a hard-charging, behind-the-scenes chronicle of Johnson C. Smith University’s (JCSU) rise under head coach Maurice Flowers — an HBCU parallel to the NFL’s “Hard Knocks” with wired sound, locker room access, and field-level verité.
What began almost by accident in 2022 — when a hurricane canceled Pitt’s flight, rescheduled a JCSU football game, and led to Flowers’ first win — became a 2023 spring-ball short and is now a multi-episode franchise entering its third season.
Across the same span, JCSU has surged from two wins (2022) to seven (2023) to an eight-game school-tying win streak (2024) — with “Brick x Brick” embedded in the huddle for every inflection point.
The series’ field-level verité style has not only made it a must-watch for HBCU fans but has also earned national exposure: footage from the show has been featured on ESPN’s College GameDay and aired nationally as part of the “HBCU Gameday on Fox Soul” show in 2024, bringing the Golden Bulls’ rise to living rooms across the country.
Season 3 opens on the program’s most ambitious footing yet: a veteran roster, a high-efficiency transfer at QB, and a Week Zero stage at the Essence HBCU Kickoff Classic inside Harvard Stadium — “America’s Coliseum” — the first HBCU game in the Boston area in more than 50 years.
Episode 1 — “Countdown to Kickoff” (Training Camp)
The Bulls grind through their most demanding camp under Flowers as newcomers learn to follow before they lead. Transfer QB Kelvin “KD” Durham finds his rhythm while DC Barry Tripp tightens the defense around problem-solving and details. The program standard expands beyond scheme: “Championship at everything… even the water bottles go back in the crate.”
Episode 2 — “A Boston Classic” (Essence Kickoff Classic)
A late-summer stage at Harvard Stadium turns into a statement in Week Zero. Durham’s command steadies the offense; the defense dictates the first half; halftime corrections slam the door. Flowers’ message is blunt and businesslike: “We’re the attraction of this show.”
Premiere Details
When: Thursday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. ET (back-to-back premiere)
Where: YouTube premiere; streaming on HBCUGameday.com and the HBCU Gameday app
Credits: Produced by Wali Pitt; starring Maurice Flowers, Kevon Fly, Barry Tripp, Kelvin Durham, Thiago Alvarez, Quavaris Crouch, and the JCSU Golden Bulls